Sky's Not Always Blue
by halcyonranhuer
Summary: Kawahira said that it was called the Pandora's Box, and each box contained a fragment of the dark history of the Vongola's Sky flame users 10 years ago. It was never meant to be opened, but it was, and now Tsuna learns that the past will always come back, to haunt, to kill.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey... And I am back with another khr story. Here I am trying take a completely different touch to what I usually write- humour, morbid humour, tentatively humour. It will be a fairly dark approach this time. There will be two parts, one in the present, the other in the past.**

* * *

Pride. Wrath. Envy. Lust. Sloth. Gluttony. Greed.

Seven sins.

But the gravest sin,

Most deserving of judgement's purge,

Is the one you've forgotten.

Remember.

The past will always come crawling back.

Drag you down.

Drag you down to hell.

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Stop Dreaming Already**

A year had past since the Acrobaleno trials.

And Tsuna could definitely affirm that his quality of life was not getting any better since Reborn announced him to be Neo-Vongola Primo. He had seen Bermuda thrice that year, schemes that involved the Vindice time and time again, and Tsuna would lament about it. If he were to be honest, Bermuda also wasn't all that pleased to see him either.

"After all, meeting the Young Decimo here only assures me this situation is definitely akin to a world-dimensional-level scale catastrophe." The gentleman had once said.

Not to mention that, he had dealt with twenty other hostile famiglias from attempting assassinations to rewriting Mafia history;indeed Tsuna and his Guardians went back in time again to stop the ambitious madness.

The year then came to an end, and it was the beginning of Spring after Winter. And Tsuna finally had his first taste peace since fourteen. For a week, everyone activities collided coincidentally, and majority had to leave Nanimori.

Gokudera and Bianchi went back for family matters and reconciling after a tearful farewell (on Gokudera's side) at the airport. Yamamoto had to attend a baseball camp in Kyoto. Ryohei and Kyoko were on a family trip in Hokkaido; Haru's in Germany. Mukuro and the Kokuyo gang went to deal with the remnants of the Estraneo Famiglia, in which they denied Tsuna's help; they said that he had done too much for them earlier on.

Or in Mukuro's language, "The Vongola should not butt his nose too much into the my business. Enough is enough."

Chrome garnered enough courage to visit the family that had abandoned her. She insisted that Tsuna had done his part for her and she would finish things up with them once and for all. I-Pin went with her master for some minor affairs to complete in China, Tsuna was not sure. Fuuta was needed for a temporary mission of one of Vongola's ally families.

As for Reborn, Nono had called him. It had to be serious business, Reborn before disappearing, after all did have a grim look on his face.

In the end, Tsuna was only left in the care of Lambo, or in this case, it was the other way. The Bovino head decided that the child would not return and best remain in the Decimo's care. Lambo had not mind, he preferred Tsuna's home more than anywhere else.

And Hibari, of course, remained in Nanimori as per usual.

Yet nothing felt right.

It did not feel right, not because it was too eerily quiet, or that it was too eerily peace. There was a foreboding of danger, a strange fear which crept down his skin and tugged painfully at his heart strings.

The door rang.

"Reborn?" Tsuna rasped, it was still too early for the hitman to come home. Reborn said he would be away for a week, but the hitman often did not stick to his schedules, finishing things earlier or later than expected. However, Reborn never rang his door bell, not ever since he first came to his household. He fiddled with the doorknob uneasily, before twisting the it the second time the bell rang.

Kawahira stood there, in his usual attire and a paper umbrella. In that moment, Tsuna felt his breath hitched.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi, I have been looking for is a need for talk." The man begun plainly.

Somewhere in the kitchen his mother then called. "Is it one of your friends, Tsu-kun?"

"A-ah. Yes..!" Tsuna answered stiffly, breaking out from his moment of surprise, though carefully eyeing the man still. He then took a glance at Lambo who was still in the midst of his afternoon snack

"We go upstairs. To my room." He harshly whispered.

Kawahira nodded, folded his umbrella and placed it proper against the coat stand. He then quietly followed the boy upstairs, footsteps barely making a single sound on the old wooden floorboard. There was a moment of silence, until Kawahira pulled out something from his pouch hidden behind the layers of his outfit.

"I rarely come to the Vongola, and even rarer do I even talk to them. Yet, I wish to ask. Have you seen this before, young Decimo?"

He placed a black-like box weapon on the table, on it engraved the Roman numerical XIII. On first sight however, Tsuna felt a nauseating urge to run.

"I don't know what it is." He furrowed his eyebrows. "But it makes me uncomfortable."

"It was my people's only weapon to contain Powers, and we named it the Pandora's Box. This was so as Powers that were placed inside were never to meant be opened. One time, there was a Power too big for us to contain and we spilt it into all thirteen boxes to be sealed." Kawahira said.

"Why do you tell me all this?" Tsuna asked weakly.

"Because, one of the sealed boxes has been forcefully pried open, and it would lead to other boxes opening up again. And that Power, if all released, has the ability to overthrow the Trinisette and change dimensions to come. There are more of its abilities, and even that I do not know. That is a severe issue, is it not?"

"Isn't this like a big secret? And what do you mean again?" Inside Tsuna's mind, questions were raging. He was confused, perplexed and the fear was somehow still nagging behind him. It took all of him to suppress his first primal instinct to run.

"Indeed. It was never told to a single human, and that how they knew, is what I wish to know too. As for your second question. I would not lie. Yes, it was opened once before- all thirteen boxes. There was one from the Vongola who came to manage the situation- temporary. For the present, since you have the purest and strongest sky flames I see, I've come to seek the Vongola again, ironically." Kawahira explained. Tsuna looked at him blankly.

"Again? Vongola? No one in the Vongola seems to know anything of this. In fact, this is the first time I've actually heard or seen of it." Tsuna went through his mind the possible list of people.

"Ah, but the man is dead." Kawahira had a rare frown on his face. "Though I did request him to keep the boxes secret, do you really not know of him?"

"Who?"

"Sawada Tadanaga, and your uncle, if my memory doesn't fail me. I don't go into detail with the human world."

Tsuna blinked. "I don't have an uncle, and even if I did, Dad never mentioned it once!"

Kawahira did not seem the least bit surprised, he continued as if it was all normal. "I bring a final warning to you, never underestimate the Flames of the Abyss. They consume anything in their way. Now that I have done my part in an attempt to help the world, I will take my leave now."

"Can't you fight?"

"You are mistaken, Sawada Tsunayoshi. I don't fight, I don't interfere, I just speak. I will follow my own rules, just as Sepira followed hers."

Tsuna turned to inquire the man once more, but Kawahira had disappeared, and Tsuna was left with lingering feelings of confusion and a thought that all of this was merely a figment of his imagination. The only thing acting as evidence that everything that took place was real, was the box that Kawahira left behind.

Five days had passed since the worrisome encounter, and this time he was pulled by the collar to a lone alley on his way to school, and he wondered why of all days, Enma had not accompanied him. Somewhere in his head, there was a memory of the young Coazart mentioning that the Shimon Famiglia had to go back to their home island yesterday to sort some things out. A punch then made contact with his face, causing to halt all thoughts in his mind.

"Trash." Tsuna, despite his cheek throbbing, he knew that voice. "What. The. Fuck. Did. You. Do?"

"Xanxus." He breathed, and he felt his a short buzz in his ears when he saw Xanxus, his glaring red eyes, hands curling on his guns. Even though ablaze with anger, there was some sort of unknown fear written beneath, and Tsuna knew those better than anyone did. He after all had them too, when he saw the Pandora's Box that was.

"What did you do?" Xanxus demanded once more.

And within every box in the mind, is a fragment of a memory, and know not if they are truth or lies.

* * *

 **Chapter one: Young Xanxus of Vongola**

It was an old mansion at the front of a dense forest, with faded milky white painted brick walls and a brown top, where tiny hairline cracks ran across the edges, paint flaking off along the areas of slightly rusted steel pipes. The vines would run beneath the windows near the far sides, even if it was so often neatly trimmed away.

There was a large garden beyond the front porch, cultivating various species of flowers, mainly roses, raises and hydrangeas. At its heart, where the fountains laid, however was an entire patch of anemones. There was no question as to why a single different species of flower laid in the middle of the garden, it had been there and it would always be.

And this was the Vongola headquarters, home to the Vongola Nono and his four children, and monument of the Vongola's history.

A figure loomed at one of its windows, watching intently as a black car pulled up to its porch. A young man stepped out, sleek hair and a prim suit. He greeted the guards before opening the door of the car's backseat, revealing a young woman with a child in her arms. The man moved a few steps, however suddenly hesitated and looked up. Immediately, the figure retreated.

He opened the door to a corridor where he could hear excited chatters among the servants. They claimed about an important man having to deal underworld businesses with his father. He strained to listen more, however all that remained after were just mere gossips about the man's breathtaking looks and his wife's stunning beauty.

Biting his lip, he went to the hallway where father's office was located. There he saw his three elder brothers gathering outside, which was extremely rare. The eldest of them was called Enrico, and his features were oak brown spiky hair, green eyes and a sharp chin, all of which resembled father's first wife. Other than that, he knew nothing of Enrico.

"Xanxus." He called to him. "Perfect timing, we can be introduced to Vongola's Outside Advisor now. "

"We Vongola had an Outside Advisor? I thought Outside Advisors were even rare among Mafia families." Messimo quickly asked, he was second oldest, yet he had the biggest physic among all of them. He bore the same hair colour as Enrico but his eyes were hazel, like his father's.

"Always did. Well, father told me of this once." Enrico replied.

"I knew too." Federico mentioned as well. He was the third, and if Xanxus would judge, he would say that Federico was the most genuine person among his brothers and if he might add, also a carbon copy of his father, looks and personality wise.

"Then maybe Messimo did not listen well." Enrico laughed and proceeded to open the doors, with Federico behind. They had missed the ugly frown on Messimo's face. Xanxus didn't.

"Buongiorno." His father greeted politely. Xanxus took a good look at him, it had been weeks since he had last heard his father on a call, much less seen of him. The man whom had been on missions for more than his fingers could count every month, ever since his first wife passed last early summer. He had aged a lot. Xanxus barely recognised the man to be his father. He used to be much bigger, much firmer, more so charismatic; however what remained in front of him, seated at the chair seemed to be to be a shell of that . There were heavier creases along his forehead and his hair seemed to now covered in more streaks of white.

And like his brothers, Xanxus shed not a single bit of emotion, and neither reaction.

"Nono, good strong boys, aren't they?" The man grinned and waved at them casually, too causally- as if he had known Nono for years. His father nodded slowly and gave them a small smile. The man spoke in a language called Japanese; Xanxus knew, he was heavily educated on it after Italian.

"Pardon my manners. This is Sawada Iemitsu, also known as 'The Young Lion' of Vongola, and he works as our outside advisor for quite some time already."

"Why tell us now, father?" Messimo said, but Xanxus could hear a hint of snide beneath the expressionless tone. He knew it all too well, one who came and borne from the streets.

Sawada Iemitsu narrowed his eyes a little, interjecting quickly before his father could respond. "Haha, Nono, please. Down with the formalities. Well Messimo child, is it just so important to know that Vongola has an Outside Advisor? We will not step in unless Vongola is in the stead of an emergency." He said, too cheerily.

Messimo stiffened, but said no more.

When the introduction ended, Iemitsu proceeded to open the door, in which revealed a young lady and her child, presumably.

"Nana? I told you to wait in the guest room!" Iemitsu exclaimed, surprised.

"Eh? But Tsu-kun really wanted to see his Papa!" She laughed softly, and lifted a young toddler. He was a little small, but was a mess of brown hair and had the most lively eyes Xanxus had seen in his entire life.

"Besides I am here with her. You don't have to worry so much." Another man stepped out from behind the shadows, like Iemitsu, he had the same shade of hair and eye colour. Except that he seemed a little more unkempt than the other.

Xanxus flinched a little. He had not seen him from the windows.

"Haha, Tadanaga. Thanks for your help all this while." Iemitsu laughed sheepishly, in which the other shook his head in return. He then proceeded to turn back to elder man. "Oh yeah, Nono, this is my brother, Sawada Tadanaga."

"I've heard." His father stood up from his seat, and shook hands with the other male.

"My wife, Sawada Nana, I've mentioned before." Iemitsu continued and Nono nodded. Nana greeted him too with a lady-like bow.

"And who is the young fellow over here?" His father asked as he tickled the cheek of the toddler, who only gurgled happily in reply.

"Haha, I came today to also introduce this little guy to you and your family. My son, Sawada Tsunayoshi."

His father paused for a slight moment, and then Xanxus could see the extinguished candle relit in the man's eyes again. His father smiled ever so real, more than before as he cradled the toddler in his hands. Tsunayoshi, the boy, played with the edges of his father's suit, as he excitedly gurgled some incoherent words.

"Tsu-na! How could you get used to Nono so quickly? You took like two days to get used to me!" Iemitsu whined as Tadanaga chuckled.

"Tsu-kun. This is grandfather, call him that." Nana gently coaxed the child who muttered something that sounded like 'grandfather'. His father laughed, and turned to him and his brothers.

Federico was the first to approach and he played with the child's hair, who giggled at his touch. Enrico came next, but had a sort of a political mask to his actions. Though, he eventually softened after a few seconds, and came to greet the lady and the men. Messimo, however, did not seem too interested. He did give his greetings, but soon claimed that he had an important task to attend to, and left the room without glancing back once.

There stood only Xanxus, who remained confused on actually what to do, until Iemitsu approached him.

"Xanxus, right? I've heard about you. How about trying to say 'hi' to Tsu-na?" Xanxus shuddered a little at his cooing, but he went over eventually.

He watched the boy, and Federico made space for him to come in. Tsunayoshi looked at him, and Xanxus slowly lifted his gaze up, a little awkward with his actions.

"Xanxus." He said, as his greeting. He was not keen on saying much and expected his brothers to lecture. But neither Federico nor Enrico rebated him about his poor mannerisms, instead there was Tsunayoshi stretching out his little hands to him.

"You'll have to carry him." Iemitsu said or insisted, and the boy had no choice but to eventually allow the tiny warm body into his arms.

"Father, both me and Enrico will take our leave now. There is a rumour going about of the Rango Nero Famiglia targeting the Vongola, and we have to investigate." Enrico then broke the short silence.

"Be careful." Nono nodded, his eyes were serious and so were Iemitsu's and Tadanaga's. Nana however seemed very confused.

"Nana, Xanxus and Tsuna should leave." Tadanaga said. "There are businesses to attend too."

"Then I will see you in the guest rooms!" Nana smiled and bate her farewells. Xanxus just followed her and watched silently as the doors to the office closed.

"...and so regarding the Shimon... Pandora's Boxes..."

 _"Shimon? Pandora's Box?_ " He thought, until Nana broke his thoughts.

"Tsu-kun seems very comfortable with you!" She chortled at the sight of her young child snuggling further into a flustered Xanxus' arms. She pondered for a moment before saying. "I will go get some snacks in the kitchen. Meanwhile you could help me take care of Tsu-kun!"

Xanxus did not even have a chance to protest.

"Xhan-shush." Tsunayoshi said, when Nana had left the room.

"What?" Xanxus replied, flabbergasted.

"Xhan-shush." Tsunayoshi giggled as he pressed his cheeks onto Xanxus' suit.

"If it's my name, it's pronounced as 'Xanxus', kid."

"Xhan-shush."

"Xan-xus." He corrected.

"Xhan..." Tsunayoshi begun.

"Xus." Xanxus concluded.

"Haha, is the infamous loner Xanxus having trouble with a kid?" It was a young voice Xanxus long knew.

"Dino." He growled. "This kid-"

"Yeah I overheard in the kitchen when I snuck in by the back door." Dino gestured at the direction of kitchen. "Tsu-kun, or something right? The maids couldn't understand Japanese well, so they ended up calling him 'Bambino' in the end."

"Firstly, he's Tsunayoshi. And secondly, you didn't sneak in. It's because your guard Romario happens to be good friends with Carlos and that's why you were let in." Xanxus scoffed, as he glared at the boy. However, Dino just shrugged it off.

"And I am best friends with the fourth son of Vongola Nono!" Dino instead added.

"Xhan-Xhan." Tsunayoshi called out suddenly.

"Xan-Xan?" Both boys chorused. Immediately Dino broke out into loud guffaw as Xanxus remained shocked.

"How am I Xan-Xan? You were on the road to pronouncing it well!"

"Xhan-Xhan!" Tsunayoshi giggled and the other sighed in defeat.

"Xan-Xan!" Dino followed. Xanxus then raised his free hand, coated in the Flame of Wrath.

"Dumbass Dino. I will beat you to death, scum trash."

* * *

Xanxus woke up. A sense of unease clouded his senses.

He could not dismiss it no matter, and the only thing in his head was just to find that scrawny trash of a brat.


	2. Chapter 2

**I don't usually update this quickly. It's mainly because I got a few of the chapters up. I promise I will come to update my other fics too, but please enjoy for the moment.**

 **Thanks for the support! I appreciate reviews:)**

* * *

 **Chapter 2: I Fear To Wake Up**

"I don't understand." He settled near ground, hovering a few inches above. The flame on his forehead wavered a little, his hands feeling hot. Natsu twitched a little, as Tsuna gazed at Xanxus with piercing orange eyes.

"You've done something." Xanxus growled, his hands sore from gripping his guns so tightly. Yet the burns, Te scraps, the bruises, the scars were all nothing compared to the seething rage in his heart.

"I don't understand. What happened? What did I do?" Tsuna was increasingly perplexed, the orange flames flickered wildly in his fists. "You said I did something wrong, and you don't tell me what is it."

Xanxus snarled. "You knew."

Tsuna looked straight at him, eye to eye for the first time the conversation started, and Xanxus tried very hard not to flinch. "You fear." Tsuna then whispered, and the man no matter how angry, no matter how humiliate, just couldn't find the words to scream to the brunette's face. He could burn the ground, the grasses, the soil, but never the fear.

"You never just left the Varia like that, without Squalo, without your men." Tsuna probed further.

And fear was weakness.

"I remembered." Xanxus was a man of few words. He would put his wants clear in just a short sentence. Yet now, he struggled to explain, as if there was no particular reason the he was here. "I remembered something very disgusting. A black box weapon..."

"Pandora's Box?"

"Is it what that trash is called? The Varia found it on a mission. I hated it. I wanted it out of my sight, and the trash Mammon took it away. It was then I remembered, something entirely useless and shitty." He said slowly. "I don't care about trash like this. But I don't like the feeling it gives me, and if you know where is it or Mammon's location, scum, let me find it and destroy it."

"There are thirteen of them, and if released, a great Power will be strong enough to destroy all of us."

"I don't care. I want it gone, and if you aren't making it go, I will."

"Listen Xanxus, I am also equally confused as you are-"

"Die, trash."

At once Xanxus said these words, Tsuna felt a cold chill ran down his spine. He looked at Xanxus, momentarily paused as well, Tsuna knew he felt it too.

"The second Pandora's Box, it's open."

Tsuna heard Kawahira's voice echoed in his head.

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Enrico of Vongola**

Thirteenth of May. Half past three in the afternoon.

It was the end of Spring and early summer, yet the rains had not stopped. The air was warm and humid, and the alleyways often flooded. There was no wind and it made breathing difficult. The sky was overcast, thick and heavy; so were the streets of the town, draped in dreary colours.

He picked the watch again and glanced at the time. They were running late, by thirty minutes and his breath quickened with anxiety. Finally, an ordinary Fort came into view, and parked beside the pavement. Federico hopped down the car and opened the backseat door, in which a lady stepped out.

"Federico, we are rather late with our this time. Go hand them up to father and I will contact you again. As the eldest, I cannot allow tardiness." He ordered, as he slipped his mobile into his back pocket. The younger nodded silently.

"Young Federico. Thank you kindly for the ride." The lady smiled, and bowed gracefully.

"It is my pleasure, Lady Chiavarone." Federico chuckled and drove off.

"I apologise for being a little off the schedule. My child was caught to be playing truant again. He skipped his lessons for play, and I had to lecture him." She said rather apologetically. Her ash blond hair was neatly in curls down her neck, her long gown revealed a bit of her fair skin, eyes that were a deep green and she spoke like a music melody. Enrico had heard many stories of the lady Chiavarone that only praised her gracefulness and beauty. He thought they were exaggerations, but sometimes stories did do their parts.

"And I believe his playground would be the Vongola household." Enrico laughed.

"That I apologise deeply also."

"No-no! He is a great friend of Xanxus, who barely has any playmates. Frankly, I do worry about that child. He doesn't speak much, nor express his feelings much, and me and Federico are at loss of what to do. With Dino, he smiles, so I am comforted."

"You speak too highly of my son." She chuckled daintily. They soon entered a restaurant and Enrico led her into a private room. They sat comfortably, before Enrico looked at her in all seriousness.

"Then I shall go straight into the matter. Have you found anything regarding this 'Pandora's Box'?"

"Yes, but sources only led to the Ragno Nero Famiglia, your suspicions were prove true all along. Black flames, they described in reports, and extremely destructive." She passed him an envelope.

"Anything else?" He sighed.

"A woman, I don't know her name, but the Ragno Nero Famiglia placed her records underneath the Pandora's Boxes." She grimaced.

"Pandora."

"Pardon?"

"That is her name. That's all I know of her as well. And..." Enrico pushed something into the woman's hands and folded her fingers over it. "I need you to keep this."

"Why me? If I may ask?" She looked worried, as she kept taking glances at the object.

"There is a traitor in the family. I cannot tell." Enrico bit his lip. He ran his fingers through his hair. "But know that I cannot trust no one but you. Please Diane, I beg of you." She looked at him sternly, with disapproving eyes.

"Just this once, as your childhood friend, Eddy."

He saw her off in a cab, and that was when his phone rang. On the other end was a panicked voice. "Young master, we're under ambush at area C2! We believe that they are allies with the Ragno Nero."

"This has blown up to be a much more bigger problem than I initially expected." He swore.

Flame in hand, he charged his guns up, before running straight into the gunfight. Bullets of different colours flew through in the air. There were screams, for orders, for help, for pain. The smell of flesh burning, and the raw metal was prominent. The heat around him tinged his skin, and he ignored the scrapes which he sustained from constantly kneeling on the rough ground.

The thunder roared, and Enrico was determined to wrap things up. The Vongola was winning, no doubt about that. They were steadily pushing the enemy back, until he felt a painful shot up his back. He turned, despite the spreading pain and saw his most trusted pointing a gun at him. It was just them behind the car-act-barricade, all were engaged in the madness out there and it was clear that there was no one else.

"Why?" He coughed; it burned.

"I will not trust a weak master, I'm terribly sorry sir." He spoke monotonously.

"Hah, now I see. Tell him and advice for you, tha _t a fate far more terrible than death awaits all traitors_." Enrico gasped. His body jolted violently as more bullets hit him. His men yelled, but their voices were growing faint. The traitor did not bat en eyelash and just moved into the shadows.

"Ha. Ha. Ha." He spluttered a last laugh.

* * *

She dropped her bags on the floor. Lambo looked up curiously at the shaking woman. Sawada Nana placed hand against the wall, clutching her chest. The toddler ran to her, finger in mouth, and he hugged her leg, not sure what had happened.

"Lambo-kun, I'm fine. I'm fine." She patted the boy on his head. After which, she chanted a string of words. She barely knew anything about these words but they felt like a curse.

"Vongola. Vongola Nono... Tadanaga... Tsu-kun..."

She could dismiss the first as a dream, she cannot for the second.


	3. Chapter 3

**If anyone is confused, this takes place when Xanxus is 12. He hasn't come to know Squalo yet. It's a little later. Thanks for the reviews, they are very appreciated!**

 **When I look at the whole thing, it's just going to get messier. Meanwhile Reborn starts to find out something..**

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Only Fools Run In Circles**

"You saw it." Xanxus wheezed, his head was dabbed in perspiration and his eyes wide.

"See what?"

"There was a vision. A memory, it doesn't belong me, but Enrico! He was betrayed! _I knew it._ " He hissed, sounding more desperate. He raised his guns again.

"I see nothing. Xanxus, I really don't understand what is going on. Who is Enrico?" Tsuna insisted. The man looked into his eyes and knew that he wasn't lying.

"Enrico is the first son of Timeteo, Vongola Nono and the first heir to Decimo. Have you forgotten, Dame-Tsuna?" A familiar voice interrupted, and Tsuna turned to see the infant hitman standing barely a few feet away,

"Reborn!" Immediately, Tsuna was overwhelmed with relief. If he was honest, he was actually very much at loss of what to do.

"Tsuna, tell me everything. And that includes you too, Xanxus, I've called Dino over as well." Reborn said, his voice hushed. His eyes were shadowed by his fedora, but Tsuna could see the deepening frown on the hitman's lips an he continued watching as his tutor disappeared into the streets, oblivious to Xanxus' contorted features.

Because for the first time, Tsuna thought that Reborn actually might not be able to help at all.

That this whole 'Pandora Box' problem might spell the entire downfall of Vongola.

They arrived in his room, and Tsuna found it strange that his mom was not in the house. It was strange that she barely made a proper lunch before she left, it was stranger that she would do her groceries at this time of the day, it was even stranger that she left Lambo all alone napping in the living room. No matter what, his mother would never leave young children unattended.

But Tsuna didn't think too much, his head was heavy and his heart weary; every fibre of him screaming to shun this entire issue away. He saw Dino already seated, which was surprising, for there was not one Chiavarone security standing guard outside. The older was slightly paler, hair messier and eyes dead. The same that Xanxus had revealed deep beneath angry ones.

"Hey, younger bro." He greeted weakly.

"Dino..."

"Your Guardians will hear of this later, they are rushing back as of the moment. As for Xanxus, I'll speak to him in private. Tsuna, spit out what you know about the Pandora's Box." Reborn gestured for Tsuna to start.

"Do you have to get involved, Reborn?" Tsuna was not even sure that these words actually came out from his m. But it did, and Tsuna was tired. Reborn stared at the brunette, his face unrevealing a single bit of emotion.

"Dame-Tsuna. When I say talk, you better do." Reborn lifted a gun, and Tsuna could be sure that inside was definitely not a dying will bullet. Dino said nothing. And Tsuna, despite how uncomfortable he was, spat out about Kawahira, what he knew about the Boxes and Sawada Tadanaga.

"Do you know who is he, Reborn?" Tsuna asked once more.

"No, his name never appeared in Vongola." Reborn curtly replied. He then turned to Dino, who flinched at the sudden movement. "Your turn, useless Dino."

"...I had visions, dreams or memories... Unclear though... One, I sneaked into the mansion, and saw little Tsuna. The other, I saw the death of Enrico." Dino murmured, his voice faltering as he spoke. "We met, long ago."

"Then Verde's hypothesis is correct. That the Pandora's Box, actually contains memories of certain people, and hence possible information on the 'phantom' Ragno Nero family. And those who can see it, presumably are people who were involved in the incident."

'What incident?' Tsuna thought but did not say. Instead he chose to say. "I saw nothing."

Reborn blankly looked at his student.

"Reborn, there were no flashes of any memory." Tsuna insisted.

"Maybe you were too young to remember. You were barely three." Dino quickly replied. Reborn said nothing about this, but instead pushed the conversation.

"There are only three boxes in Vongola's possession- from Nono, Dino and Varia. Ten are in theirs. Stopping them is difficult since Vongola doesn't have the slightest bit information on them. If they would open and release their secrets, I say we sit and watch first, then we might have a clue about them."

Tsuna closed his mouth to protest any further, and to also not tell that he had a possession of a Pandora's Box, snugly placed in his pocket. If there was one thing Tsuna knew about the hitman since he started training him, it was that Reborn actually does not know everything. He would come to learn of secrets quickly, but at the start, he would be just as human and not god.

Now a week had passed and his Guardians came to knowledge of the situation. Hibari left in the middle of it. Mukuro made a face as if he had heard it before. The others held concern on their faces. Reborn told them to be just mainly prepared for any possible attacks.

Tsuna realised the grimace on Reborn's lips (he must have still failed to get information from Xanxus) when he came back today. He then placed the dish on the basin as his mother watched him with anxiety.

"Is there something wrong?" Tsuna asked.

His mother opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. And Tsuna already had left the kitchen. She felt a shudder crept up her shoulders, and she quickly turned to the table. Reborn sat there.

"A-Ah Reborn-kun? What would you like?"

"Espresso." He replied, as he watched her. Nana did not like those eyes, they seemed to see through anything. She gripped the cup tightly. She knew Reborn was no ordinary child.

It was then a flicker of monochromic images played in her head like bad film.

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Young Chiavarone Dino**

The day Timeteo found out the death of his son, the same day he held a funeral. The sky was still dark and filled with heavy clouds, but it rained not once. There were only a few tears shed, but none came from his family. They all just carried solemn looking faces, and for Timeteo, a blank mask.

Maybe the shock had not actually sank in, or maybe it was just the Vongola's pride. He did not really know.

They lowered the brown box into the grave, and scattered various flowers over it. Lilies, Magnolia and Anemone.

"May his soul rest in peace." The clergy concluded after a few words of sacred texts and prayers..

If anyone there could laugh, they would. His mother would regardless, and definitely.

"It was too much of a dog's death. How humiliating." The upper echelons would whisper. "It's a pity he died too young. He had great potential." Yet said them when they gave their condolences to Timeteo. His Guardians showed ugly faces. He would just watch silently, his father somewhere in the small crowd.

The service was short and curt, and it ended within two hours. Timeteo and his family left last. And he decided he would wait for his friend outside his bedroom door.

"Sorry." He said as he fiddled with his button when he saw Xanxus arrived.

"Dino? Why?" Xanxus asked.

"Enrico just passed, and my mom didn't attend either. She was sick." He mumbled, feeling his cheeks hot.

"It's nothing to care for., well, at least for me. I barely knew Enrico anyway. He probably treats me like a ghost." Xanxus said. "As for your mom, I know father would understand."

"Liar." Dino mumbled under his breath. He knew Xanxus was lying, on the boy's part about not being bothered by Enrico's death. What Xanxus did not know about Enrico was just about his job, and what he actually did. Contrary to not caring, he had admired Enrico greatly, even following in the ways of wielding guns as his weapon, instead of going barehanded like the Vongola Secondo, or the Neo-Vongola Secondo, as many would call him that.

But he knew better not to dwell more on the subject. He knew Xanxus loved his pride, hence his firm beliefs and stoic personality, and for that, Dino would respect it.

"Xan-Xan." A voice was heard when he opened the door.

"Tsuna's here?" He piped up in surprise.

"Yes. That Iemitsu brought them over as he had something to discuss with father- again. Nana insisted she's making dinner tonight. And so I was left with babysitting." Xanxus said, his tone slightly agitated. He motioned for the maid in the room to leave, and she did swiftly. Xanxus then picked up the boy who responded happily by clapping his hands. They seemed to have gotten much closer, Dino noted.

"Does Tsuna come here frequently?" He asked.

"Yes. It seemed that some assassins were targeting the household, I don't know how true."

"I just think it's amazing how this Iemitsu come so clean to his just civilian wife about the Mafia." Dino said, having heard the rumours.

"Lies. He just told Nana that he was meeting his boss of his construction company, and that they were good friends. She doesn't know about Enrico's death." Dino was shocked. How could anyone have believed that? A boss of a construction company would not have an unhealthy amount of security guards with an arsenal of weapons at their disposal.

"Nana's just the biggest airhead." Xanxus shrugged when he saw Dino's face. He then saw his friend softening his features a little. "It's best for her to remain that way though."

Dino nodded. He had heard how the Mafia twisted people into demons. His father and mother had seen them.

"Papa." Tsuna waddled unsteadily as he headed the direction of Timeteo's office.

"He wants his dad." Dino commented, an Xanxus looked at him as if he as the biggest idiot.

"I understand that much."

"Which reminds me, your dad seems a little more busier these days."

"He'll only get more busier now." Xanxus frowned. Dino did not quite understand. Still he was trying his best to cheer the other up.

"Then I say we head to your father's office." Dino grinned and Xanxus nodded stiffly. "We get to see Tsu-Tsu's dad there."

"Tsu-Tsu?"

"He called you Xan-Xan." Dino closed his eyes expectant of a punch, but Xanxus did not react, just snorted and went ahead.

It was not easy sneaking past the guards, but Dino had sufficient training sneaking away from Romario. Xanxus was nimble on his feet to begin with, and the other wondered how Xanxus could be so light-footed. After all, with such a strict personality, he did not think Xanxs would be the type to professionally sneak around.

They settled outside the room beside the office.

"Hey Tsu-Tsu, let's give your dad a big surprise when he comes out alright?" Tsuna just chirped.

He looked to Xanxus who had a blank look on the face. Dino could hear the walls breaking.

"Xanxus? If you're tired, we can always go back."

"Huh? Uh, yeah. Ok." Xanxus moved unsteadily to the door.

"Me and Tsu-Tsu will just wait here for his dad." Dino continued. "We come back to your room after a while."

"Ok." Xanxus' voice was a little hoarse now.

Dino then huddled with Tsuna in a corner, there were no movements in the next room, just soft whispering and it would take awhile until any man would come out. But he knew Xanxus needed his space, and he gave it. Thankfully, Tsunayoshi was a patient child, and finally fell asleep while waiting. Dino just laughed softly, until he heard the door creaked open.

He shuffled behind the bookshelf.

A man dumped some papers on the table. He was on the phone. Dino peered over curiously. Xanxus' second big brother? Messimo, was it? "So you say. That woman Chiavarone has the data? I knew Enrico would give it to her. Then I'll just have to politely go ask it from her then."

He left the room as abruptly as he had came. And Tsuna shuffled uncomfortably in his arms. Dino just had his back against the wall, breathe rugged, eyes large as saucers. He could not breathe.


End file.
